Sawyer-Massey 25 HP compound steam traction engines built in
1911 by the Sawyer-Massey Company, LTD, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
and owned by Barrett Muir, Shanty Bay, Ontario. This S-M compound
is believed to be the only one left today in good running
order.
Photo taken at the Ontario Steam & Antique Preservers
Encyclopedia of American Steam Traction Engines and included in the
third revised edition. See article this issue about
Sawyer-Massey.
Frank, Jonn, Louis and Joe Vondruska brothers pictured, the crew
are as follows, left to right: Jerry Jonas and Jim Tichota, grain
haulers. Mr. and Mrs. Nick Podliska and Mr. and Mrs. Anton Shedda,
John Podliska is on the bundle rack. Joe A. Vondruska, separator
man, is on the separator center. The other two men are not known.
Frank Vondruska and Frank Poldiska are on the water wagon. The team
of horses belonged to Frank Vondruska. Shedda’s hired man is
sitting on the wheel. Louis Vondruska, engineer, was substituting
for John Vondruska, main engineer. The other four bundle haulers
were out in the field loading bundles of grain. The threshing crew
had about sixteen jobs and some years as many as eighteen jobs
north of Howells, Nebraska. When they were finished shock threshing
they would pull south of Howells to the vicinity of Tabor and do
stack threshing. Those were the good old days, gone are the
memories. Submitted by Joseph J. Vondruska (son of John), Route 1,
Schuyler , Nebraska 68661.
‘I have been around steam engines all my life started
running them at eleven years. Took up harvest and threshing in 1915
about 20 or 25 miles S S West of Jamestown, North Dakota. One
morning I counted 28 threshing rigs around us. They were firing
with coal. Also saw a mirage that same morning. Worked for a Mr.
Fred Beyers. He was a good thresher and wonderful to be with. I
wonder if his folks descendents still live on.’
CLARENCE AUNGST Rt. 1. Box 91, Winona, Minnesota 55987
Chester Petrowsky of 12 Grela Terrace, Belchertown, MA 01007
sent this picture and told us: ‘This engine came from the Swift
River Box Co. of Athol, Mass. It was sold to A. J. Raymond of Athol
in 1906. It was used as a blower until 1952. In 1972 it was removed
and I purchased it in 1981. I spent a year and a half restoring it
and have displayed it at several shows and parades. The only
changes made were the addition of a flywheel and a governor.’
Technical data on the engine: Type: I.S.I.; Dia. Cyl.: 5′;
Stroke: 7.500′; Rod Dia.: .9375; RPM: 200; Rim Speed: 2120 58
Ft per Min.; HP: 8.24318.
